Cate Eranthe is a California-licensed attorney admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District with over 20 years of complex discovery and litigation experience. Ms. Eranthe has handled chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcies from initial filing through discharge. A San Francisco native she provides practical strategies and advises on different approaches to achieve your best outcomes.
We are a full service civil litigation firm and handle family law, small business matters and consumer law. We also counsel and represent consumer debtors in bankruptcy. Our goal is to assist our...

I guide people in financial difficulty through the technically difficult and emotionally charged arena of bankruptcy which allows them the Fresh Start provided by Congress.
I too have had the experience of seeing my field of work (then computer application software development) shrink before my very eyes with the projects I used to get being sent overseas. People in the current economy have similar experiences and I was determined to find a way to use my legal background to help them. I decided that practicing bankruptcy law was the most direct way I could help.
I'm a solo practitioner by choice and...

Mr. Meyer is a founding partner of the Meyer Law Group and oversees the daily operations of the firm. He primarily practices in the area of consumer bankruptcy, with a focus on debtor rights in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
While in law school, Mr. Meyer was a full-time judicial extern for the Honorable Michael S. McManus, Chief Bankruptcy Judge in the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division. He also received the prestigious American College of Bankruptcy Award as the Distinguished Law Student in the Ninth Circuit, received the Loren S. Dahl Scholarship for Excellence in Bankruptcy Law, was selected for...

A resident of Oakland, Len spent much of his legal career with prestigious, top-ranked, San Francisco law firms. Mr. Watkins brings the same level of expertise, and standard of excellence, to his practice in the East Bay. Focusing on consumer bankruptcy and business law, Mr. Watkins’ depth of experience and training include:
A Masters of Business Administration, concentrating on finance, from the University of California, at Davis
A stock brokerage license (inactive) from the National Association of Securities Dealers
A California Real Estate Broker’s license
Previous Experience
Business Attorney
Norris & Norris (now...

I started my practice with the premise I would always attempt to facilitate a collaborative divorce. Before going to law school, I worked for several years at a family law firm, and saw firsthand the potential of increasing acrimony between spouses when the court system is used haphazardly. Growing up with separated parents, I think I understand the stress and frustration of a long drawn out family divorce. The courts should be a place of last resort - who wants a Judge who barely knows you to make decisions for you? That being...

Macdonald Fernandez LLP focuses on business bankruptcy, reorganization and commercial litigation, including receiverships and assignments for the benefit of creditors, throughout California and pro hac vice in Delaware, the Southern District of New York. – Our clients range from enterprises with assets or amounts in controversy exceeding $100 million to small businesses, including technology companies, biotechnology companies, startups, Bitcoin-based companies, mortgage funds, national and regional banks, retail chains, medical clinics, residential care facilities for the elderly, farms, wineries, restaurants, churches, real estate developers and manufacturers. – In one example, we imposed a receivership over an operating almond reprocessing...

As an attorney, Matthew Grech began his career as a civil litigator. From there Mr. Grech transitioned into estate planning and probate & estate administration. As an estate planning/administration attorney Mr. Grech has assisted numerous clients manage trust and estate administrations from inception to closing, as well as guiding and facilitating the planning process. It was during this time that Mr. Grech realized that a number of his clients’ family members and friends were facing mounting financial troubles in the wake of The Great Recession. It was this realization that motivated Mr. Grech to begin practicing bankruptcy law, which...

Gregory S. Hartman is an attorney, CPA, and Certified Insolvency & Restructuring Advisor (credential pending). Mr. Hartman's practice involves representing both debtors and creditors in bankruptcy proceedings. He has expertise in chapter 11 businesses reorganization. Prior to starting Hartman Bankruptcy Law, Mr. Hartman represented secured creditors and trustees in bankruptcy cases. Mr. Hartman also worked for the United States Trustee's Office where he worked in an oversight role of chapter 11 cases and trustee administration. Mr. Hartman is a long-time resident of the Bay Area, living in the East Bay with his wife...

OUR MISSION
Personal bankruptcy is what we do. We help people get their lives back. Even good and hardworking people sometimes experience financial difficulties, often through no fault of their own. We provide protection and support for our clients to help safeguard them and their assets, and enable them to get a fresh start and move on with their lives.
NEED A FRESH START? WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
Many people believe that due to new bankruptcy laws they are not eligible for debt relief or that they will lose their home if they file for bankruptcy. ...

Lucy Zheng is a California licensed attorney, experienced in individual tax debt relief, DUI law, family law, personal bankruptcy filings, and tenant evictions.
Prior to forming her own practice, Lucy worked at a law firm handling multiple client cases all throughout Northern California. She witnessed the strengths and weaknesses of a larger law firm, and thus determined she could best provide her clients with the personalized attention and service that they deserve by starting her own practice.
Lucy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with an emphasis on Public Law in only 3 years, from the University of...

After working for a small bankruptcy firm, Macdonald & Associates, for 6 years, I've just recently opened my own bankruptcy practice. I represent individual and small business debtors in chapter 7 and chapter 13 cases. I personally handle every aspect of each case, from preparing the bankruptcy petition and schedules, to responding to creditor calls, to attending the creditors' meeting, and to ensuring that the debtor receives his or her discharge.

Sally Elkington and James Shepherd has formed the partnership Elkington Shepherd LLP. We file chapters 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies. We represent Creditors on a case by case basis. We prosecute and defend lawsuits that are filed in Bankruptcy Court. Both of us are "hands on" attorneys. You will deal with us directly on your matter. Between the two of us we have over 40 years of bankruptcy experience. Our office is located in downtown Oakland with ample parking and 1/2 block from BART. Remember, Bankruptcy is not an end, it is...

Bankruptcy law allows debtors, who are unable or partially unable to pay outstanding debts, to rid themselves of these debts and obtain a fresh start. Both federal and state laws can affect a debtor seeking to file for bankruptcy, and an attorney can help you understand how state and federal bankruptcy laws apply to you.

If you are struggling with high debt, receiving calls from creditors or collection agencies, or facing foreclosure, garnishment of wages, or repossession of property, filing for bankruptcy may provide you with solutions.

Bankruptcy lawyers offer legal advice and services during a financial crisis. In total, there are six different types of bankruptcy. For persons seeking debt relief, one option is Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which provides for liquidation of the debtor's non-exempt assets. Another popular option for individuals is Chapter 13, which allows for management and reduction of debt through payment plans. Corporations and partnerships filing for bankruptcy often choose to file under Chapter 11, which provides for supervised reorganization of the business.

Experienced bankruptcy counsel can help you evaluate whether you should pursue a bankruptcy as well as the Chapter under which to file. Bankruptcy lawyers can also help end harassing phone calls from debt collectors and evaluate available legal options when facing a home foreclosure.

Automatic stay:
An injunction that automatically stops lawsuits, foreclosures, garnishments, and most collection activity against the debtor the moment a bankruptcy petition is filed.

Unsecured claim:
A debt for which credit was extended based solely upon the creditor's assessment of the debtor's future ability to pay, rather than on a special assurance of payment.